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Work Up This Hat and Cowl in Less Than an Hour!

Cobbles Chunky Hat and Cowl

Last week the Dollar Tree had a crazy limited time, while supplies last sale on some pretty amazing yarn. It was all from the Yarnspirations line and sold for, you guessed it, a $1 a skein! To make the deal sweeter, for the 3 days of the sale, shipping was a flat rate of $4.95.

Before you go all crazy, the sale is over, the yarn is gone and who knows when it will be back, if ever. The yarns were current yarns, not mill ends, not shortened rolls…Honestly, I don’t know how they were able to do it. But they did and what happened is that I got to try some yarn I hadn’t used before and fell in love! I will have no problem paying full price for it in the future. (By full price I mean the price minus coupons, because really who doesn’t shop for yarn with coupons!)

A prime example is the Patons Cobbles yarn. Y-U-M-M-Y! Unsure of what to do with this super bulky yarn, I have been playing with it since it arrived. Today I worked up a hat and cowl set I’ll be adding to my stock for craft shows. It is super fast and super easy! It took less than an hour to do the entire set!

Even though this is a super bulky yarn, it is light weight and super soft! The patterns below are what I did to get the hat and cowl. They are very basic and could be easily adjusted by adding or taking away a row depending on your gauge.

Cobbles Chunky Hat (Women’s Adult Size)

Materials: 1 Skein Patons Cobbles, 25mm Hook

Work in the rounds, you don’t need to join at the end of each row.

Start with a magic circle. 6 sc into magic circle

Round 2: 2 sc into each stitch around (12)

Round 3: 2 sc into first stitch, 1 sc in next. Repeat around. (18)

Round 4-10: 1 sc in each stitch around.

Round 11: Slip stitch in each stitch around. Finish off and weave in ends.

Red Heart has come out with an exciting new yarn called Reflective. Right now, it is pretty hard to come by. I happened to be in the right place at the right time and managed to get ahold of some. For the most part, I am loving it. It is a bulky weight yarn. (5) I love the way the weight of it feels. So, maybe that doesn’t make total sense, but it has a comfortable heaviness to it. The reflective thread, woven into the skein, creates an amazing effect when it’s hit with light. (You can see it in the picture when the hat is photographed with a flash.)

Starry Night Beanie

DC – Double Crochet
SC – Single Crochet
Join – (Join the end of each round by slip stitching into the top of the first Double Crochet

Work rows as follows: Start with black for first three rows. Switch to grey on Row 4 and Row 5, back to black for four rows and back to grey for Row 10 and Row 11, then back to black for the remainder of the hat.

Start with Magic Ring, Chain 2
Row 1: 9 DC in Magic Ring, join. Chain 2
Row 2: 2 DC in each stitch and join. Chain 2.
Row 3: 2 DC in first stitch 1 DC in next stitch, Repeat until you have come back around and join at the top of your first DC. Chain 2.
Row 4: 2 DC in first stitch 1 DC in next 2 stitches, Repeat until you have come back around and join at the top of your first DC. Chain 2.
Row 5: 2 DC in first stitch 1 DC in next 3 stitches, Repeat until you have come back around and join at the top of your first DC. Chain 2.
Row 6: 2 DC in first stitch 1 DC in next 4 stitches, Repeat until you have come back around and join at the top of your first DC. Chain 2.
Row 7- 15: DC in each stitch around, joining and chaining 2 after each round.
Row 16: SC in each stitch around, join and tie off.

Use a tapestry needle to weave end threads into the hat.

For a slouchier hat, The length of this hat can be adjusted by adding additional rows before you add the row of SC.

EDITED: The original pattern listing had row 7 adding 2dc after every 8 stitches. After retesting the pattern I found this made the hat too big. I have removed that line from the pattern.

I made this hat for my son to wear to “Hat Day” at school. I was asked about the pattern, and since I didn’t follow a pattern I said I would write up what I did. So here it is. Please share with me if you use the pattern. I would love to see how it turns out! On the down side, as this hat is hot off the hook today, so is the pattern. It hasn’t been tested yet. If you find something that doesn’t quite make sense, or any other issue, feel free to contact me! This size is large enough to fit a female adult, but fits loosely but not too loose on my 10 year old.

Happy Crocheting!

Sheri

Striped Elf Hat

By Sheri Goad

(Edited to Add: The fur around the brim is created by using a combined strand of Red Heart White and Bernat Boa in white. I have also changed the last line. I used 3 rows of the white for the brim. I had only put down two. It now reads Row 64-66.)

Tis the season. Hard to believe I have not posted since October 2nd! Fall has arrived, and so has the busy. October was full of hustle and bustle and my hook got so busy my hand decided to protest. Here is a peek at some of what I’ve been doing…

A dear friend of mine has been battling cancer, I flew out to Illinois to visit with her and attend a benefit auction. While there I made her a horse hat per her request along with a few other crochet items that went into a raffle. I didn’t use a pattern for this, but there are some great patterns out there!

For Breast Cancer Awareness month, I put together this hat and wristers set using Deborah Norville Collection Serenity Baby Yarn in Tea Roses. I used a basic beanie pattern for the hat, a row of double crochet for the ribbon, and Red Heart’s pattern for the wristers. Pattern Here (Free Pattern)

What does the fox say?? If you have not seen this video yet, take a moment and watch. (You will either love it or hate it.)

I’m in the love camp on this one, and had to try this Sly Fox Hat Pattern by Lisa Gutierrez (Free Pattern) It was a hit and was one of the first hats to go at the craft show I did last weekend!

So I did my first craft show last weekend. All things considered it went quite well. I have one more on the 16th and one in December. It is going to be a busy few months. One of the favorites was this scarf. Though I didn’t use a pattern for it, there is a very similar pattern on Ravelry by Christy Fisher (Paid Pattern)

I have also been playing with itty bitty stuff! My son’s teacher had a new baby and he wanted to give her an owl hat. I used the owl hat pattern from Repeat Crafter Me (Free Pattern) with just a few minor changes, the diaper cover is by Boomer Beanies’(Paid Pattern).

And this set for a friend who’s granddaughter was born 7 weeks early. There isn’t a pattern for the hat, but the booties are from Deb’s Crafts (Free Pattern) I would have never thought to make the booties with an open heel so they can wear them even if the wires are attached to their little feet.

There is so much more I would like to share with you, but I have craft shows to prepare for, orders to fill, and gifts to be made! The holidays are quickly approaching and there is way to much cool stuff out there I want to try. I leave you with this…my little Crochet Protege’…Elsa is one of my daycare babies and she loves to pretend to crochet!

This week I came across a designer who was looking for pattern testers. It just happened I scrolled past the request at just the right time. The first three to post with an email address would be sent the pattern to test. Several responded to the post, but only two others had left emails, so I quickly added mine and was excited to get the email from Kara Gunza, Petals to Picots, with the test pattern for this adorable Teether Lovey. Here’s my test project.

Have you ever thought about testing patterns? You will need to understand how to read a pattern and be willing to give feedback. Reliability and communication are musts. I spoke with both Kara Gunza from Petals to Picots and Sonya Blackstone from Beautiful Ducklings about what designers expect from testers.

What do you look for in pattern testers?

Kara: Mostly dependability and someone who can clearly communicate any errors or problems.

Sonya: Someone with experience reading patterns, that is reliable and can meet the deadline. The testers definitely need to be able count stitches so they can tell me if my count is off.

Do you have a group of testers you use regularly, or do you post as needed?

Kara: I do not. I usually put a post on Facebook and choose the testers on a “first come, first chosen” basis.

Sonya:I post as needed, gives everyone a chance to offer, although I have had a few bad apples, so I have considered just doing a group

What would make you use a tester more than once?

Kara: Sometimes I will ask a tester to test if I think they would have a particular interest in a pattern I am working on. For instance, if I remember someone recently had a new baby and I have a baby item to test, I might ask them first.

Sonya:I would use a tester more than once if they were reliable! Easy to communicate with!

What would make you never use a tester again?

Kara: I would never use a tester again if they were unreliable. I do understand that sometimes life gets in the way of deadlines, but if they don’t communicate with me about the delay, then I probably wouldn’t use them again.

Sonya:I have a few testers I would never use again because they received my pattern and then the next day they would message me with some thing like “Oh sorry my kids are sick” “something came up” or they would test halfway and get bored with the project and quit and just stop communicating.

Any advice you would give someone who is testing out a pattern for you or any other designer?

Kara: Just be yourself … trust your skills and instincts. And keep the designer in the loop with any problems.

Sonya:Don’t sign up to test if you can’t actually get it done! Most patterns only take a couple of hours in total to complete…most testers give 48 hours..that’s plenty of time to sneak in time to complete it! Don’t offer if you’re not 100% sure that you can get it done and provide feedback! BE RELIABLE!! COMMUNICATE!

Testing patterns can be fun, and can benefit both the designer and you. Before you sign up, be sure you will have the time to follow through, the supplies needed, and the skills for the pattern level. And most importantly, remember the designer is trusting you with their design. You should never publish or share the pattern or details of the pattern.

These finalists will receive an iPad Mini, Ravelry ad featuring their design and expanded features on mymountain.us and social media. The semifinalist and finalist patterns will be published on mymountain.us as free downloads sometime in October. We’ll let you know the moment they’re up!

As the top vote-getter, Sheri’s pattern, “Fusion,” will become a paid Ravelry download with all proceeds going to her selected nonprofit, St. Baldrick’s for Childhood Cancer Research.

Thank you so much to EVERYONE who participated in this very exciting contest. Remember, you can see more of the entries on the My Mountain Pinterest page. Look for more cool stuff coming from the My Mountain movement very soon!”

Is my hat the “best” hat in the competition…for some, not so much for others. We all have different likes and dislikes, but isn’t that the way it should be? How boring would life be if we all liked the same things?! Isn’t that kind of what My Mountain is trying to do is start a movement where people can create something that reflects who they are?

I came across a comment where the person said, “I do not understand how the hat in the lead…is in the lead.”

My answer, because I promoted it. Far and wide. I invited my friends, who in turn invited their friends, who in turn invited their friends and more! Rock the Vote was only one way we, and I say we because NO WAY did I do this myself, spread the word. Besides the 166 attending this event, there were more of the 1,970 that didn’t click on join but voted and shared daily. (The top two names on the list of invited but not joined are my son and my mother! You know they were voting.)

This was not the only means of spreading the word. Friends sent out daily messages, to those who wanted to be on a texting list with the link and reminders to vote, as well as emails. Along with other designers in the competition, we posted on crocheting boards we are involved with. Posts went up on local community boards where people within my community rallied in support.

I don’t think it hurt that I designed a hat that was fun, different and gave somewhere for that darn ponytail to go! Something that could easily support the idea behind My Mountains grass-root movement…offering a simple design that even the newest crocheter could accomplish, leaving endless possibilities to those more experienced to embellish. Even if it wasn’t for everyone. =)

I look forward to trying out some of the other amazing designs. Keep your eye on the My Mountain Facebook page, while the top 18 designs will be released in October, others who did not make the top 18 are posting their patterns now! If you haven’t checked out My Mountain’s Pinterest, add it to your to do list. Simply inspiring!!

For all those who rallied in support of “Fusion,” my hats off to you! I am blessed and truly appreciative! Beyond my “prizes” I am most thrilled at the opportunity to help out St. Baldrick’s Childhood Cancer Research!

There are three days left of voting in the My Mountain Hat Design Contest, thank goodness! It has been a wild ride. I was rapidly reminded why I do not like voting competitions. Not on a public level. Though, I can’t complain, because I was fully aware of what I was getting into. I got free yarn to design a hat. Free yarn, now that in and of itself was worth my time. Right? The rules were simple, request yarn, design a hat, send in a picture of said hat. Voila! said hat. (As if you don’t already know what it looks like.)

Moving on…once all hats were submitted and deadline passed we got to wait while My Mountain endured the painstaking task of picking 15 finalists. They couldn’t, hence the reason you are all now voting on 18 hats. So much talent!

Next on the agenda: online voting. It was supposed to be one vote per person. I was thrilled. I can get on board with that. Because of an unexpected glitch, and to keep things fair it switched to one vote, per person, per ip address, per day. YIKES! That’s more than a mouthful.

Is it a popularity contest at this point? Well, kind of yes. Or maybe it is a who can bug your friends the most contest. Pretty sure we all got the same set of guidelines that said this was going to a vote. Has it been fun…ummm, no! I have probably had a friend or two drop me from their friends list, or at the very least hidden me from their news feeds. I have been posting about the contest daily, multiple times daily, my friends have come into it with me and they are doing the same, as are their friends. I have reached out to my community and asked them to help me. And they have. It is text message reminders for friends to vote. It has been a non stop effort on many parts since the moment they posted the top 18.

I have managed to stay at the top, so far. Does this mean I am the most popular? Yeah, NO. Does it mean I have the best hat in the competition? Yeah, NO. Does this mean I am obtaining votes by cheating the system? Yeah, NO. It just means right now I have the most votes. I have a lot of people in my corner who are willing to push things tirelessly. Do I believe that if this was a competition based completely on the merits of my hat I could win? Yeah, YES. But so could any of the other designs. Because they are all really good.

I will note this, if there are contests like this in the future, might I suggest My Mountain have two categories of contestants. One for crochet designs and one for knit designs. In my humble opinion, it is like judging apples against oranges.

So….the vote and the designers. As a crocheter, I was thrilled to see 5 of the 18 designs were crochet, those patterns I can try out! Here are the other 4 crochet designs. I am glad you are able to vote for more than one hat, so I can support some fellow crocheters.

Beautiful Ducklings I love the design on this and can’t wait to get the pattern so I can see how she added all those white bits in!

One Loop Shy DesignsSadly, what you can’t see in this picture is the amazing swirl design at the top of this hat.

Misty MakesI’m quite interested to see how the zig zag pattern was created on this one!

Crochet designs aside, there are few other hats that make me go wow, and tempt me to temporarily put my hook down for a set of needles…or maybe not. But I would certainly consider purchasing these hats if I saw them in the store. My personal favorites, and they have been since the start. I told my friends I thought they would make the final 15 before the list even came out. I vote for them every day.

I love my hat. I am not even close to the same caliber as some of these designers, but I think I came up with a fun and original design that many people will love making and adding their own personal flair to. I’m glad I entered this contest. It has really motivated me to jump start my desire to make crocheting a more integral part of my life. It has opened my eyes to some good and some bad sides to this industry, it has inspired me, it has allowed me to meet some new people, make some new friends, and did I mention I got free yarn?!

Edited to add: Seems that great minds think alike, go check out Rohn Strong’s blog where guest blogger Lars Rains talks about My Mountain Contest and how they are supporting each other’s designs. A Different Perspective